I suspect low-information Rmoney voters neither know nor care that Iran has seaports. But yes, the talking points are especially dumb. Whoever is crafting these phrases would be out of a job in a sane world.

I'm sure he was referring to the Mediterranean Sea. But I still agree with you regarding his talking points.

"I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany"

But its not Iran's route to that sea, either. Syria doesn't border Iran at all and so they would have to pass through (by land or air) Turkey or Iraq to get to Syria and they don't get along with either. That was a pretty big screw up in my mind.

Mostly I was just shocked that, in a debate about foreign policy, there was little to no discussion of Mexico or Europe and how those economies impact the US. Since they were so eager to talk about domestic stuff anyway, this seemed like a perfect segue.

Romney: I'll do what Obama said, but I promise to be louder.
Obama: We have aircraft carriers that carry planes.
Pakistan is key to the Middle East.
Israel! Israel! Israel!
We need better trade with China.
Forget Europe and the rest of the American continents. They're not important.*

Not adding anything substantive here, but I saw this and just had to share. (I still have the vintage box to go with the battleship game I got for my 8th birthday)

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

Is a Super PAC Economy happening? Case in point, in 2010 there was $11 mil in money spent for lobbying against "Obamacare" while $30 mil was spent on negative advertising by super pacs concering the same. That advertising money went to the media (newspapers & tv). By 2012 the total figure (for and against the same) was $310 mil.

Ya know, alot could be done with $310 million besides commercials dumbing down the public. (...and thats just on one issue folks)

"Whatever beer I'm drinking, is better than the one I'm not." DMLW
"Budweiser sells a product they reflectively insist on calling beer." John Oliver

Poll challengers, what is acceptable.

In talking with a local city clerk, I learned that many of the poll challengers have gone so far as if there is any emblem of party on any article of clothing, the voter must step out of line and either remove that article of clothing, turn it inside out, or come back with something different on… this includes children.

So being me, I tossed out a hypothetical. Apparently neither of these would be permitted at a polling station on my 7 month old.

Makes me wonder where the line is. Will I be asked to leave if I wear a green shirt with a little tree on it? What about a blue shirt or a red shirt? Are polling watchers taking this too far? I mean come on, will my 7 month old in either of the shirts above intimidate someone into voting for a different candidate? Yes, he is cute as hell, but come on people.

While I think that Trump is a total jerk, I think that this is very interesting that he is willing to spend $5 million to get those documents released. What are your thoughts on it?

If you have nothing to hide just release them and move on, but it won't happen. It is all a part of a political game that Obama nor any sitting president should play. We need to focus on real issues such as closing our budget deficit, immigration reform, and finding OJ's "real" killers, etc.

While I think that Trump is a total jerk, I think that this is very interesting that he is willing to spend $5 million to get those documents released. What are your thoughts on it?

I can't believe I am responding to this, but...

Again, no presidential candidate to date has ever released their college transcripts (Bush’s Yale transcripts were hacked and released illegally). They are not “sealed” as many have claimed. Its simply illegal for any college to release any current or former students’ transcripts to the public without express permission from that student.

The passport issue is the same damn thing. I assume he is interested in seeing the place of birth information. Another ridiculous distraction. He’s the president of the United States for Christ’s sake. Do you not think he was vetted by the proper authorities? Or is everyone an idiot but The Don? This is all insulting not only to the president, but to all the government departments that work to ensure such things. Was the birth certificate not enough? This whole attempt to disqualify the president from being president on a technicality is just embarrassing. If your not happy with him, don't vote for him. Its really very simple.

Lastly, and this is the most disgusting part, Trump seems to be dangling this huge sum of money with outrageous strings attached as something of a backhanded bribe. The assumption, I imagine, is that if the president does not comply, he will be seen as hurting the poor who this money would ostensibly help. Its frickin’ blackmail!

He says the president would be doing a “great service to the country” by releasing the info and letting the money flow to charity. How about Trump does a “great service” and just donates the dang money without strings attached? As an ardent and vocal supporter of Romney, there is only one way to interpret this ridiculous “announcement.” Antagonistically partisan.

My annoyance is that he actually thought that would "change the election". Seriously? Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers donating millions to campaigns in secret is changing the election, not some non-news story that is just put out there to get attention on Trump.

Why would anyone cover this? It isn't news. It is a man who wants attention, asking for attention. If he had some actual news, then that might be different. I was hoping he had some information that would "change the election". This didn't quite meet that standard.

A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams

Could Obama's struggles with white voters cost him the election? Voters "are not going to throw their vote away when we have an election here that's about the future of America," Priebus said. "I don't see that happening."

I would imagine that the two party leaders would be against people voting for who they like instead of going with party lines.... but it is pretty bad to say that it is a thrown away vote. If my guy loses, then he loses... it isn't about thrown away votes. If everyone thought that, we would never see a third party candidate succeed. My hope is that people are smarter than Reince Priebus and vote for whoever they like...

A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams

My caller ID shows we've been averaging about four political-robo-calls a day (seems to be worst on Sundays).

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

My caller ID shows we've been averaging about four political-robo-calls a day (seems to be worst on Sundays).

I received 14 one night last week. I get more Obama than Romney. And now I am getting more Senate Race candidates then Presidential. Last night I checked the foot candles of a digital billboard we approved and every single ad was political (minus a couple Miller Light ads). I watched for an hour... it was painful.

A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams